“Another behavior that has a similar purpose is called ‘bobbing,’” said Sewlal. This is particularly useful since they have visual predators such as birds, lizards and even other spiders like some species of jumping spiders. This is a defense mechanism and serves to make the spider appear bigger than it really is. She said that some neotropical species engage in an action called “whirling.” She described it as when “the spider holds onto the underside of its web and swings its body in horizontal circles until it looks like a blur to the human eye. Sewlal described two fascinating defense mechanisms of daddy longlegs spiders. Then, the daddy longlegs covers the prey with silk and administers its fatal bite. According to BioKIDS, insects and other spiders get trapped in the confusing, irregular web structure.

The daddy longlegs spider’s web does not have adhesive properties for catching prey. Daddy longlegs may be useful spiders because they can help keep the population of other insects and spiders down, according to the Queensland Museum. According to the department of entomology at the University of Kentucky, they are especially successful in urban areas where they spin thin, tangled webs in ceiling corners, under furniture, in garages, barns, attics, and basements, and other places where they’re unlikely to be disturbed. They prefer damp climates but can nevertheless thrive in deserts. Daddy longlegs spiders live on every continent except Antarctica.

Facts about daddy long legs